I have a Nokia 2118 that I use as a modem when I have to work at the beach (it's tough living in NZ!)
The blurb says it works at 40-80kbps: http://www.portables.co.nz/HDN2118.aspx
Next to the speed there is an asterisk that is not referenced anywhere else on the page.
What limits the speed? Is it the fact that there seems to be a virtual RS-232 over USB link in there? Or is there an external limitation on speed that only allows data cards purchased from Telecom to access full speed services?
Or is the modem technology inside these low-end phones old and therefore inherently slow?
As an irrelevant aside, I'm one of that growing crowd of geeks who just want a simple cellphone, hence I prefer my 2118 over my Pirelli dual GSM/wifi phone, which has a colour screen, camera and heaps of 'applications' that I never use. The Nokia is far more reliable and doesn't take ages to boot. I wonder how many people have died because their phone takes too long to boot when they're clutching their chest or feeling the inside of their crushed engine with their legs while trying to dial 111/911/999/000???
Rob